I first met Michael in 1999 (can it be that long ago, already?!?) when he came to the US and presented "Outside Influence/Local Colour: the Australian Small Press" at the International Comic Arts Festival, of which I was then the chair. (He still has his 1999 ICAF t-shirt, designed by Max himself!) At the time I was impressed by his scholarship and his conviviality, and we've kept in e-contact over the years. I was pleased to be asked by him to be his first guest-blogger in this series. Thanks, Michael, for the opportunity to wax rhapsodic!